(Reuters) – Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s recovery is going well and the Barcelona goalkeeper has started training, months after suffering a complete rupture of the patella tendon in his right knee, coach Hansi Flick said on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Germany international underwent surgery in September after getting injured during Barca’s 5-1 win at Villarreal in LaLiga.
In October, Barca signed former Juventus keeper Wojciech Szczesny as a free agent after the 34-year-old Pole reversed his decision to retire and came to the Catalan club’s aid after they lost Ter Stegen to the long-term injury.
“It is private information that is discussed with the doctors. He also started training, a first step. He improved a lot. We are happy. Everything is on the right track,” Flick told reporters.
The German manager was speaking ahead of Sunday’s LaLiga trip to Sevilla, who are 12th with 28 points from 22 matches. Despite their league position, Flick was expecting a tricky outing at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
Barca are third in LaLiga with 45 points, four fewer than leaders Real Madrid who host second-placed Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu later on Saturday.
“Every game you start from scratch. The atmosphere in the stadium is very nice. We have to play with our style and that’s what’s important,” Flick said.
Barca are eyeing a third successive victory in LaLiga, having also hammered Valencia 5-0 away in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Thursday.
“Now we have the whole team playing very well, in the last games they showed it and created a lot of chances. We have all the players who can play and tomorrow we are also going with fresh legs,” Flick added.
Flick was asked if he was going to watch the Madrid derby.
“First Barca B, then we’ll have dinner and then I’ll watch it. But we’re focusing on us. The match is interesting because it’s one of the best games in Europe and I want to see it,” he said.
On the injury front, midfielders Gavi and Dani Olmo as well as defender Inigo Martinez were all ready to play, he said.
“We will see. Everyone can play, we’ll see what happens.”
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
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